This is for Take it and Run Thursday: Overcoming the Tough Stuff.

On Sunday, we ran a preview of the run portion of the Iron Girl triathlon. It was after a full day of lecture and activity, which included a spin class that took us on a virtual tour of the bike portion.

It was still over 90 degrees and the sun was still beating down on us when we started the course around 5:30 p.m. Sun and shade alternated along the course, and the hills were numerous.

Coach Troy was the workshop leader, and at one point he asked how I was doing. I’m sure I had a not-so-positive response, such as “I don’t think my legs will let me do too many more hills.”

He replied, “We can do a lot more than we think we can.”

We had to face one very large hill after quite a few were already behind us. We were in the sun, and I really wanted to walk.

And then I looked down. “You can do it!” was spray-painted onto the path about halfway up.*

“No, path, I can’t!” I thought, but kept going anyway. And I made it to the top channeling the little engine that could.

I kept running during the hills that followed as well. I finally broke for a walk break after a stretch in the sun. The heat was starting to get to me, but I was almost done. I picked it back up again after a few sips from my water bottle.

I’m pretty sure if that path wasn’t marked, I would have taken a break instead. That statement kept me going.

Think positive. You can do it!

We can do more than we think we can!

* Now that I think about it, it may have said “Yes you can!” on the hill. Either way, my response was the same!